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PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass may apply for 2019 U.S. Amateur

Open date would coincide with 25th anniversary of Tiger Woods winning 1994 Amateur at Stadium Course

Tiger Woods blasts out of the sand bunker at the #4 green of the Valley Course at the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass during the opening round of the 94th U.S. Amateur Championship on Aug. 22, 1994.

The PGA Tour and the TPC Sawgrass is considering an application to the United States Golf Association for the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship -- 25 years after Tiger Woods won the first of his three Amateur titles in a row at the Players Stadium Course.

"This is all very preliminary," said Ty Votaw, the Tour's executive vice-president for communications and international affairs. "All we're planning right now is to seek more information from the USGA."

When asked about the Tiger Woods connection, Votaw pointed out that it was the next year available for a U.S. Amateur bid, but did say it would be a fortunate coincidence if the TPC eventually landed the tournament.

"It would make the most symmetrical sense," he said.

The USGA has awarded Amateur sites through 2018, to the Country Club near Boston, the Atlanta Athletic Club, Olympia Fields in Chicago, Oakland Hills in Detroit, the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles and Pebble Beach.

USGA communications official Christiana Lance said in an e-mailed statement that the USGA "welcomes invitations from potential host sites," but would not elaborate.

"We do not comment on site selection procedures or future sites that have not been announced," she said in the statement.

U.S. Amateurs are held in mid-to-late August. A host facility needs 36 holes or another course close by for two days of stroke-play qualifying to get to 64 players. As it did in 1994, the TPC Sawgrass would hold one round of stroke play at the Players Stadium Course and one round at Dye's Valley.

The final 64 players then enter the match-play phase to get to a 36-hole championship between the two finalists.

Those two players receive invitations to the Masters Tournament if they remain amateurs.

TPC Sawgrass general manager Bill Hughes said landing a U.S. Amateur in any year "would be fantastic for the community."

"If it could happen on the 25th anniversary of Tiger winning here, that would be an incredible bonus," Hughes said.

Alan Verlander, executive director of Jacksonville Sports and Entertainment, said the city stands ready to assist the PGA Tour with any potential proposals.

"We're eager to bring any big sports event to this area, and a U.S. Amateur in golf certainly fits that description," Verlander said. "We'll do whatever we can to help."

Woods had to win the last three holes against Trip Kuehne to win the Amateur at the Stadium Course 2-up, becoming the youngest winner of the event in history at 18. Woods birdied the 17th hole during his late rally after being down by six holes through 13.

Woods went on to win two more U.S. Amateurs to become the first player in history to win three in a row. He has since won 14 professional major championships and the 2001 Players Championship at the Stadium Course.